News

California Beef Processing Plant Faces Fine over Water Pollution

17 April 2014

US - A National Beef slaughterhouse in Brawley California faces a fine of more than $3.7 million for water pollution violations.

According to a report in the Desert Sun, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board has filed its complaint against National Beef California, accusing it of discharging excessive amounts of ammonia, bacteria and other pollutants.

National Beef Packing, based in Kansas City, Missouri is closing the beef processing plant in Brawley, which it had acquired in 2006.

According to the report, the water board’s complaint said the slaughterhouse, while slaughtering an average of 2,300 cattle per day, has been generating about 1.6 million gallons of wastewater per day.

It said the slaughterhouse has been discharging effluent to the city of Brawley’s wastewater-treatment plant.